Lock for railway-spikes.



F. BUTCHER. I LOOK FOR RAILWAY SPIKES. APPLICATION FILED APR.27, 1914.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

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STANT rion.

FRANK DUTCI-IER, OF VERSAILLES, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH TOFRANK W. BROWN AND ONE-FOURTH TO ARCHIE R. MARSHALL, BOTH 0F PITTS-BURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

LOCK FOR RAILWAY-SPIKES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. April 27, 1914. Serial N 0. 834,791.

To all 107: mn it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK BUTCH R, acitizen of the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Looks for Railway-Spikes, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawing.

This invention relates to improvements in looks for railway spikes andthe primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficientand comparatively inexpensive lock for the spikes used in holdingrailroad-rails in position.

It is well-known to railroad men that the spikes used to hold the railsin position work so loose that they lose their efficiency and unlessthey are carefully watched, they will, in some instances, work entirelyout of the tie. This is due probably to the fact that the rails have adownward movement compressing into the ties and to prevent this, it iscommon to use a plate under the rail which I will term a bed plate. Thisrelieves, to some extent, the compressing of the rail, but even withthese bed plates, the passage of heavy trains intime press even the bedplates somewhat into the ties so that the passin of a train depressesthe rail and this can be observed'by a person watching t rails when atrain is passing thereover. This spring movement seems to be especiallynoticeable at the joints of the rail. and this vertical vibration of therail in time will work the spikes loose and lose their efficiency tosuch an extent as to become dangerous. By reason of this, it is one ofthe duties of the track-walkers to see that the spikes are kept in placeand for this purpose they carry with them a suitable implement fordriving the spike back to position when they find one that'has workedloose. The springing of the rails is considered desirable in thusproviding an elas tic road bed.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a lock for thespikes by utilizing the bed plate, and so constructing the lock that thebed plate may have the vertical movement with the rail independent ofthe spike. and without effecting the locking action while, at the sametime the lock will prevent the spike from being withdrawn from itsoriginal position; the lock being in such form and nature that thetional view showing thespike at the left of the figure driven toposition and the lock in its locking position, while the lockat theright-hand side'of the figure is in its unlocking position and the spikein the act of being driveninto the tie. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectionalview showing the spike in its driven position and the lock in itslocking position. Fig. 4 is a large view of a spike showing a slightmodification of the application of the invention. Fig. 5 is a plan viewshowing a modification in the form of the lock.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals designatesimilar parts, 1 is a railroad-rail, 2 a tie, 3 the spike and 4 the bedplate. In Figs. 2 and 3 is shown a recess 5 as illustrating thedepression which the bed plate 4 often makes in the tie, permitting therail to spring down and often times the foundation for the tie itselfwill permit the depression of the tie which causes the rail to bedepressed or Patented Dec. 25), 1914.

sprun down when a train is passing over it,

and these vertical movements provide what is often referred to as anelastic road Led. In either event the vertical movements are liable tocause the spike to work loose and pulling the spike out of the tie tosuch an extent that its etliciencv is lessened, makirg the situation tosay the least undesirable and often times dangerous for passing trainsand especially at the abutting ends of the rails.

The bed plates 4 are provided with openings 6 through which the spike isdriven. My improvement consists in making the outer wall of each of theopenings 6 into a lock ng lip 7 by slitting the bed plate outwardly asshown at 8. These locking lips 7 are bent sl ghtlv upwardlv or outwardlvas shown, and normally assume the position shown at the right s de ofFig. 2. so that the spike can be freely driven through the p opening inthe plate 4:. When the spike has been driven to the position shown inFig. 3 and atthe left side of Fig. 2 then the looking lip 7 is slightlytapped or knocked downwardly to cause its lower edge 9 to bite into theouter side of the spike. These bed plates 4: are made of sheet ironusually approximately an eighth of an inch or more in thickness so thatthe short locking lips 7 are very stiff. When they are knocked down intothe position shown in Fig. 8, they are sufficiently stiff to remain inthat position with their lower edges 9 biting into the spikes. When amovement arises between the plate 4- and the tie 2 such as when a recessis worn therein, then the locking lip 7 is carried down with the plateand it cuts into the s ike a very slight groove 10, scraping or cuttinga thin shaving from the spike which will accumulate at the bottom in amanner somewhat as shown at 11 Fig. 3. In this way an elongated slot isformed in the outer face of the spike and the plate i may move up anddown independent of the spike, but the spike can not work out becausethe shoulder 11 will prevent it from passing by the locking lip 7. Thegroove 5 here shown is probably exaggerated from actual service, butthere is a slight movement due probably to the elasticity of the tieitself even where there is little or no perceptible recess formed. Butthere is a movement and this movement must be provided for in anyellicient spike lock. When it is desired to withdraw the spike, thelocking lip can be forced upwardly slightly by driving a suitable toolunder its projecting edge, or a powerful crow-bar would pull the spikeup against the lip, and if the lip had been driven suiiiciently far intothe spike to form a shoulder sufliciently strong, the lip would besprung upwardly to permit the spike to be removed. On the other hand, ifthe lip has not been deeply driven into the spike, the crow-bar woulddraw the spike out with the lips scraping a small portion of the spikeaway as it is being withdrawn.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that my improvement contemplatesthe formation in the spike of a groove which is relatively elongated inrespect to the looking edge of the lip 7 to provide for a movement ofthe bed plate independent of the spike. I prefer to form this elongatedgroove in the spike by the downward movement of the plate itself becausethen the ordinary spike can be used. However, I wish it understood thata very slight elongated groove can be formed in the spike when it ismanufactured as shown at 12 in Fig. l, and in that event, the lockinglip would simply be adapted to bring its looking edge within this grooveand the plate l and its lock is capable of a movement independent of thespike and yet the spike prevented from working out b reason of the lockextending into the groove 12 of the spike. Again, instead of having thelocking lip '4 constructed to bite into the whole face of the spike, itcan be constructed as shown in Fig. 5 with the angular edges 7 whichwill engage only the corners of the spike and bite into the corners.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that my improved lock for spikeswill not add any to the expense of a sheet metal bed plate, because thedie in punching the opening 6 will at the same time punch out the slits8 and bend the hp 7.

I wish it to be also understood that the locking lip 7 may beconstructed so that it can be forced down in a line or in a plane withthe bed plate, or even may be carried on and inclined downwardly insteadof upwardly if it should be desired to more positively lock the spike;the inventive idea being the utilization of one wall of th spike openingas a locking lip that may be forced into arrangement with the spike. Ifthe locking lip should incline downwardly, then the plate wouldprimarily be supported slightly above the tie until the spike was drivendown and caused to draw or force downwardly the rail and the plate whichwould then cause the downwardly inclined lip to be forced upward intoarrangement with the spike.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A look for spikes comprising a bed plate having a spike opening, onewall of the opening normally extending upward and adapted to be moveddownward into contact with the face of the spike for the purposedescribed.

2. An improved lock for railway spikes comprising a bed plate having aspike opening, one wall of the opening formed by a normally inwardly andupwardly extending l locking lip adapted to be pressed down into contactwith the face of the spike.

3. An improved lock for railway spikes comprising a bed plate having aspike opening, the outer wall of the opening formed by an independentnormally upwardly and inwardly extending locking lip adapted to beforced downwardly to cause its inner lower edge to bite into the surfaceof the spike for the purpose described.

4. An improved railway spike lock comprising a bed plate having a spikeopening, the outer wall of the opening formed into the vertical movablelocking lip, a spike having an elongated groove in its outer portion,said locking lip extending into the said elongated groove of the spike.

5. An improved railway spike lock comprising a bed plate having a spikeopening, one wall of the bed plate formed into a vertically movable lip,the inner edge of the lip having angular portions to engage the cornersof the spike for the purpose described.

' 6. An improved railway spike lock comprising a bed plate having aspike opening,

one wall of the opening comprising a vertically movable locking lipadapted to have its inner edge bite' into the spike and form a groovetherein by the movement of the bed plate independent of the spike forthe purpose described.

7. An improved railway spike lock comprising a bed plate having a spikeopening, one Wall of the opening comprising a vertically movable lockinglip, a spike havingits head provided With a shoulder adapted to engagethe said locking lip and carrying it downward to assume a lockingposition in engagement With the spike.

8. An improved railway spike lock comprising a bed plate having a spikeopening, one Wall of the opening having an inwardly projecting lockinglip, the inner end of the lip normally extending inwardly and up Wardly,and a spike having its head provided With a shoulder to engage the innerend of the locking lip and force it down- Ward into locking positionwhen the spike is driven down.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftWo Witnesses.

FRANK DUTQHER.

Witnesses:

B. A. ALLEN, R. WV. JUNKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

